This invention relates to a golf club head, and more particularly to a golf club head which can be stably placed on the ground at address so that a face of the head can be properly directed toward a ball.
Generally, a head body of a golf club head called "wood" is formed of various materials such as natural wood (e.g. persimmon or cherry) or metal (e.g. stainless steel or an aluminum alloy), and such a metal head is cast into a hollow construction.
FIGS. 11 and 12 shows a golf club head disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,868,286. In this golf club head, a sole plate 7 of metal is fixedly secured by bolts to a sole portion 5 of a head body 3 formed of wood.
For allowing the golf club head to better glide through the ground when hitting a ball, a convex portion 9 of a generally T-shape is formed on the sole plate 7 as shown in FIG. 12, and this convex portion 9 has a face-side convex portion 9a slightly curved along the contour of a face-side portion of the sole portion 5, and a center convex portion 9b extending from this face-side convex portion 9a toward a back side through a generally central portion of the sole plate 7. An area of contact of the sole plate 7 with the ground 11 is reduced by thus forming the generally T-shaped convex portion 9 on the sole plate 7, and with this construction there is obtained an advantage that the golf club head 1 is allowed to easily glide through the ground.
Incidentally, at address, the average golf player usually puts the golf club head 1 on the ground 11 in such an inclined manner that its heel 1a is disposed closer to the ground as shown in phantom in FIG. 11 for fear of getting a slice.
A golfer tends to dispose the heel 1a closer to the ground in an attempt to avoid a slice. When disposing the heel 1a closer to the ground, the lie angle .theta. is usually reduced by 5.degree.-20.degree.. See FIG. 11.
However, when reducing the lie angle .theta., to bring the heel 1a closer to the ground, the golf club head 1 is caused to roll at the face-side convex portion 9a. Thus, because the face-side convex portion 9a is curved along the contour of the sole 5 as described above, the golf club head 1 can not be stably positioned on the ground 11.
In addition, a face portion of a golf club head is usually inclined upwardly with respect to a sole to provide a loft angle so that a ball can fly. However, when the golf club head 1 is caused to roll at the face-side convex portion 9a, when bringing the heel 1a closer to the ground as described above, the angle of the face is varied. Thus the loft angle is changed since the face-side convex portion 9a is slightly curved.
Therefore, a golf club head capable of being stably positioned on the ground at address has been desired among golf players and particularly beginners.